Accessory for an injection device including a grip for a needle cap

ABSTRACT

An accessory for an injection device having a needle cap. The accessory comprises a body portion comprising a recess adapted to receive the injection device and a cover coupled to the body portion. The cover is pivotally moveable between an open position in which the recess is exposed to receive the injection device, and a closed position in which the cover at least partially closes the recess to hold the injection device in the body portion. The accessory further comprises a cap remover comprising a grip, the cap remover having an expanded configuration in which the needle cap can pass between the grip, and a constricted configuration in which the grip holds the needle cap to at least partially remove the needle cap from the injection device.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. Section 119 to GBApplication No. 1821073.2, filed on Dec. 21, 2018, which is incorporatedby reference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to an accessory for an injection device.

BACKGROUND

Needle safety devices are commonly used in combination with syringeswhen performing injections, in order to reduce the risk of accidentalneedle sticks which can result in transmission of blood borne pathogens.These needle safety devices are typically required to protect HealthCare Providers (HCPs), such as nurses, who frequently use syringes toadminister injections to patients. Needle safety devices typically canbe categorised as one of two types: (1) passive devices thatautomatically cover the needle after the injection, without requiringadditional steps from the user in order to activate the device; and (2)devices that require an additional step by the user in order to activatethe needle safety feature.

Passive needle safety devices generally are considered to be superior intheir ability to protect the user from accidental needle sticks,because, for various reasons, users may fail to take the additionalactions required to activate non-passive devices. Health authorities andhealth care systems often require the use of needle safety devices insettings where HCPs perform injections. Furthermore, needle safetydevices are desirable for self-administered and caregiver-administeredinjections to mitigate the risk of injury, infection, and the spread ofblood borne pathogens to patients, family members, caregivers and anyonewho might come in contact with the injection devices in the process ofperforming the injection and disposing of used syringes.

A commonly used example of needle safety devices is the UltraSafe™family of devices, manufactured by Becton Dickinson. The UltraSafe™consists of two plastic components and a spring that are assembled tothe syringe, along with a custom plunger rod. Upon completion of theinjection, the plunger rod engages latches on the UltraSafe™ housingcomponents, activating the device and causing the spring to extend oneof the housing components over the needle and lock into place, into alocked-out position. An example of an UltraSafe™ device is shown inFIGS. 1A and 1B.

FIG. 1A shows the device in a ready state before an injection takesplace, or in a pre-injection position. FIG. 1B shows the device in asafe, used state, after an injection has been completed, or in alocked-out position.

FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D show the typical instructions for using theUltraSafe™ device. As can be seen, the steps for using the UltraSafe™are essentially the same as for performing an injection with a baresyringe. Pinching the skin and injecting at a 45 degree angle areessential to limit the depth of injection and ensure that the injectionis given subcutaneously and not into the muscle (too deep) orintradermally (into the skin). Injecting too shallow or too deep canimpact the pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) for drugsthat are intended for subcutaneous injection.

As shown in FIGS. 2A-2D, the steps for proper use of a syringe toachieve a subcutaneous injection are complex, and variation from user touser can result in differences in the depth of injection, which canimpact the efficacy of the drug. HCPs such as nurses are quite familiarand practiced with the procedure for performing injections withsyringes. However, technique does vary from nurse to nurse, which canimpact PK and PD. Moreover, the typical injection technique requires theuse of two hands, one to pinch and one to inject, making it difficultfor nurses to perform the injection on difficult patients such aspediatrics who may move during the injection. Furthermore, even thoughthe nurse is comfortable using a syringe, patients are often scared ofthe syringe and needle, and the injection often results in an unpleasantpatient experience.

Syringes, including the UltraSafe™, are especially difficult forpatients and caregivers to use, not only because of the complexity ofthe use steps, but also because syringes with exposed needles tend tocause anxiety for the patient. Thus, there is a need to develop anaccessory that allows a needle safety device, for example such as theUltraSafe™, to be operated more easily.

SUMMARY

In one aspect of the invention, there is provided an accessory for aninjection device having a needle cap, the accessory comprising: a bodyportion comprising a recess adapted to receive the injection device; acover coupled to the body portion, the cover pivotally moveable betweenan open position in which the recess is exposed to receive the injectiondevice, and a closed position in which the cover at least partiallycloses the recess to hold the injection device in the body portion; anda cap remover comprising a grip, the cap remover having an expandedconfiguration in which the needle cap can pass between the grip, and aconstricted configuration in which the grip holds the needle cap to atleast partially remove the needle cap from the injection device; whereinthe cover and the cap remover are operably coupled to one another sothat when the cover is moved from the open position towards the closedposition the cap remover moves from the expanded configuration to theconstricted configuration.

In this way, the injection device can be loaded into the accessorywithout the grip interfering with the needle cap. Then, when the coveris closed the grip closes on the needle cap in order to remove theneedle cap automatically. Also, after the cover is removed, the gripopens again to release the cover so it can be separated from theaccessory.

In another aspect of the invention, there is provided an accessory foran injection device having a needle cap, the accessory comprising: abody portion comprising a recess adapted to receive the injectiondevice; a cover coupled to the body portion, the cover pivotallymoveable between an open position in which the recess is exposed toreceive the injection device, and a closed position in which the coverat least partially closes the recess to hold the injection device in thebody portion; and a cap remover comprising a grip adapted to hold theneedle cap, the cap remover being moveable with respect to the bodyportion, wherein the cover comprises: a proximal end adapted to be movedby a user to move the cover from the open position to the closedposition; and a distal end being adapted to move the grip towards an endof the accessory when the cover is moved from the open position to theclosed position to at least partially remove the needle cap from theinjection device.

In this way, it is possible for the needle cap to be removedautomatically when the cover is closed. This is achieved by the coveracting as a lever in order to move the cap remover which causes theneedle cap to be removed. This provides a simple and reliable mechanismfor removing the needle cover in such a way that users with limiteddexterity would find easy. In addition, the cover provides mechanicaladvantage for moving the cap remover in order to reduce the amount offorce required to be provided by the user.

In another aspect of the invention, there is provided an accessory foran injection device having a safety shield and at least one flangeadapted to allow a user to grip the injection device and a syringesheath moveable relative to the at least one flange from a pre-injectionposition to a locked-out position, the accessory comprising: a bodyportion comprising a recess adapted to receive the safety shield of theinjection device and a slot adapted to receive the at least one flangeof the injection device; and a cover coupled to the body portion, thecover pivotally moveable between an open position in which the recessand the slot are exposed to receive the safety shield and the flange ofthe injection device respectively, and a closed position in which thecover at least partially closes the recess and the slot to hold theinjection device in the body portion; wherein the slot is shaped both toresist the at least one flange from moving distally and proximallyrelative to the body portion and to allow the syringe sheath to moveproximally relative to the body portion from the pre-injection positionto the locked-out position.

In this way, the cover can be opened in order to allow the recess andthe slot to be accessed more easily. Then, when the cover is closed, theslot holds the flange in place, but allows the syringe sheath to movethus not impeding the function of the injection device.

In another aspect of the invention, there is provided an accessory foran injection device having a needle cap, the accessory comprising: abody portion comprising a recess adapted to receive the injectiondevice; a cover coupled to the body portion, the cover pivotallymoveable between an open position in which the recess is exposed toreceive the injection device, and a closed position in which the coverat least partially closes the recess to hold the injection device in thebody portion; and a cap remover comprising a grip adapted to hold theneedle cap, the cap remover being moveable axially with respect to thebody portion from an initial position to an advanced position to removethe needle cap from the injection device, wherein the body portioncomprises a track within which the cap remover is arranged to moveaxially with respect to the body portion, and wherein the track isadapted such that when the injection device is located in the bodyportion, the cap remover is held against the track by the injectiondevice.

In this way, the injection device performs the function of holding theneedle cap remover inside the track. This avoids the need for additionalcomponents which simplifies the design and manufacturing.

The needle cap (equivalently often referred to as a “needle boot” or“needle shield”) may be a rigid needle cap or a non-rigid needle cap.The rigid needle cap may be formed of at least two components, forexample it may comprise a rigid outer shell and an inner body whichsurrounds the needle on the syringe when in place. The inner body may bea pliable, resilient or flexible inner body. This inner body may be arubber inner body. Alternatively, a non-rigid needle cap may beutilised, in which case the needle cap may be a single pliable,resilient or flexible body, for example a rubberised needle boot.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will be described, by way of example, withreference to the following drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1A-B are perspective views of an injection device in apre-injection ready state (FIG. 1A), and a safe, locked-out state (FIG.1B);

FIGS. 2A-D are example side views depicting use of the injection deviceof FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an accessory for the injection device,with the accessory in a closed configuration;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the accessory in an open configuration;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the accessory in the open configurationwith the injection device within the accessory;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the accessory in the closedconfiguration with the injection device within the accessory;

FIG. 7 is an internal view of the accessory without the injection deviceand a cover;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of a cap remover and the cover ofthe accessory in an open position with a body portion not shown;

FIG. 9 is a further enlarged perspective view of the cap remover and thecover with the body portion not shown;

FIG. 10 is a further perspective view of the accessory in the openconfiguration with the injection device within the accessory;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the cap remover and the cover in aclosed positioned with the body portion not shown;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a base of the accessory;

FIG. 13 is an internal view of the body portion of the accessory;

FIG. 14 is a plan view of the cap remover of the accessory; and

FIG. 15 is a further perspective view of the body portion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1A-B show a manual injection device 100 that is suitable for usewith an accessory of the present disclosure. The injection device 100comprises a syringe 110, which extends from a distal end comprising aneedle 130, to an open proximal end. The open proximal end of thesyringe is sealed by a bung 140. A removable needle cap 190 is providedto sheath the needle 130.

The syringe 110 is secured within a syringe sheath 120 by a syringelocking element 125. The syringe locking element 125 may comprisediametrically opposed abutment surfaces between which the flange of astandard syringe is confined. The confinement of the flanges betweenabutment surfaces prevents movement of the syringe 110 relative to thesyringe sheath 120.

The syringe sheath 120 comprises an open proximal end, into which thesyringe 110 can be inserted, and an open distal end, from which theneedle 130 extends when the syringe 110 is secured within the sheath120. A safety shield 150 is movably mounted with respect to the syringesheath 120. The safety shield 150 is movable between a retractedposition (shown in FIG. 1A), in which the needle 130 extends beyond thedistal end of the safety shield, and an extended position (shown in FIG.1B), in which the safety shield extends beyond the distal end of theneedle 130. In the second position shown in FIG. 1B, the needle 130 iscovered by the safety shield 150, thereby shielding the user from theneedle and preventing accidental needle-stick injuries.

To allow the user to grip the injection device 100 with a conventionaldart grip (as shown in FIG. 2), the safety shield 150 comprises flanges155 at or towards its proximal end. The flanges 155 shown in FIG. 1extend from the safety shield 150.

The safety shield 150 is biased into its extended position relative tothe syringe sheath 120 (shown in FIG. 1B) by a biasing element 160. Thebiasing element 160 shown in FIGS. 1A-B takes the form of a coil springarranged between the syringe sheath 120 and the safety shield 150 suchthat the safety shield 150 is biased distally relative to the syringesheath 120 into its extended position.

A releasable locking mechanism 180 retains the safety shield 150 in itsretracted position relative to the syringe sheath 120. The lockingmechanism 180 is movable between a locked position, in which the lockingmechanism 180 prevents the safety shield 150 moving relative to thesyringe sheath 120 (FIG. 1A), and an unlocked position in which thelocking mechanism 180 no longer prevents movement of the safety shield150 relative to the syringe sheath 120. Once the locking mechanism ismoved to its unlocked position, the safety shield 150 moves to itsextended position under the influence of the coil spring 160 (FIG. 1B).

In the device shown in FIGS. 1A-B, the locking mechanism 180 between thesafety shield 150 and the syringe sheath 120 takes the form of a pair offlexible latch arms 181 provided on the safety shield 150, which engageopposing latching surfaces 183 on the syringe sheath 120. The flexiblelatch arms 181 are biased into a first position in which they engagetheir respective latching surfaces 183, thus preventing distal movementof the safety shield 150 relative to the syringe sheath 120. When theflexible latch arms 181 are moved against this bias, the latch arms 181disengage their respective latching surfaces 183, thus permitting distalmovement of the safety shield 150 relative to the syringe sheath 120.

The latch arms 181 are configured to be moved from the first position tothe second position by a plunger rod 170. The plunger rod 170 comprisesan elongate member, configured at its distal end to engage the bung 140and move the bung 140 distally along the longitudinal axis of thesyringe body to deliver a dose of medicament through the needle 130. Ator towards its proximal end, the plunger rod 170 is provided with anactuation surface 175 on which the user can place a thumb or finger todrive the plunger rod 170 distally to deliver the injection. As theplunger rod 170 nears or reaches the end of its travel within thesyringe body, the actuation surface 175 of the plunger rod 170 deflectsthe flexible latch arms 181 outwardly, to a position in which they nolonger engage the latching surfaces 183 on the syringe sheath 120. Thelocking mechanism is thus released at the end of the injection and thesafety shield 150 moves to its extended position.

Although not visible in the accompanying drawings, the manual injectiondevice of FIGS. 1A-B can additionally comprise a safety lock for lockingthe safety shield 150 in its extended position after the injection hasbeen completed.

Referring to FIG. 3, there is an accessory 200 for use with theinjection device 100, such as the UltraSafe™ device. The accessory 200is described herein using the UltraSafe™ as a specific example of theinjection device 100. However, the accessory 200 could be used withother injection devices besides the UltraSafe™ device. For instance, theaccessory could be used with the UltraSafe Plus™ device. The structureof the accessory 200 could be modified to conform with the form factorof any suitable injection device.

The accessory 200 comprises a body portion 202 and a cover 204. Theaccessory 200 has a distal end 206 for positioning towards, or on, aninjection site when administering an injection, and a proximal end 208opposite the distal end 206. The accessory 200 comprises a window 210 inthe cover 204. There is also another window in the body 202 on theopposite face of the accessory 200.

Referring to FIG. 4, the cover 204 is coupled to the body portion 202.Specifically, the cover 204 is pivotably coupled to the body portion 202about a pair of pivots 216. Each one of the pivots 216 is providedtowards a respective side of the accessory 200. Each pivot 216 comprisesan aperture 218 in the body portion 202 through which a protrusion 203in the cover 204 passes. Alternatively, the protrusion 203 could bepositioned on the body portion 202 with the apertures 218 provided inthe cover 204. The protrusion 203 is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 8and 9. The protrusion 203 is rotatable within the aperture 218 whichallows the cover 204 to rotate relative to the body portion 202. In thisway, the cover 204 is moveable between an open position, which is theposition illustrated in FIG. 4, and a closed position, which is theposition illustrated in FIG. 3.

The aperture 218 of each pivot 216 is provided on a resilient attachmentmember 217 coupled the body portion 202. In this example, the resilientattachment member 217 is integrally formed with the body portion 202.The resilient attachment member 217 is arranged to bend with respect tothe body portion 202, so that cover 204 can be inserted between thepivots 216. This simplifies the assembly process. In addition, eachprotrusion 203 on the cover 204 has a longitudinal surface and a lateralsurface. The lateral surface is slanted with respect to the longitudinalsurface. In other words, the lateral surface is not perpendicular to thelongitudinal surface. In this way, the protrusions assist in bending theresilient attachment members 217 as the cover 204 is mounted on the bodyportion 202.

The body portion 202 comprises a recess 220 for receiving the injectiondevice 100. FIG. 5 illustrates the injection device 100 positionedwithin the recess 220 with the length of the safety shield 150positioned longitudinally within the recess 220. Referring back to FIG.4, the body portion 202 also comprises a slot 222. The length of theslot 222 is arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of theaccessory 200. The slot 222 is adapted to receive the flanges 155 of theinjection device 100, as illustrated in FIG. 5.

When the cover 204 is in the open position, the recess 220 and slot 222are exposed in order to receive the injection device 100. Specifically,the recess 220 receives the safety shield 150, and the slot 222 receivesthe flanges 155. Once the injection device 100 has been positioned inthe recess 220 and the slot 222, the cover 204 is moved from the openposition to the closed position, as illustrated in FIG. 6. The injectiondevice 100 and accessory 200 are now ready for an injection to beadministered. The user is able to place the accessory 200 containing theinjection device on an injection site, for instance on the skin, andactuate the actuation surface 175 with one hand in order to administerthe injection in a safe, simple and reliable manner.

When the cover 204 is in the closed position, the cover 204 closes therecess 220 and the slot 222 in order to hold the injection device 100 inthe body portion 202. When the injection device 100 is held within theaccessory 200 by the cover 204 and the body portion 202, the injectiondevice 100 is visible through each window 210 provided on each face ofthe accessory 200. This allows the user to inspect the contents of thesyringe prior to administering an injection.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the slot 222 is shaped to resist the flanges155 from moving towards the distal end 206 of the accessory 200, or inother words the slot 222 is shaped to stop the flanges 155 movingdistally. The slot 222 is also shaped to resist the flanges 155 frommoving towards the proximal end 208 of the accessory 200, or in otherwords the slot 222 is shaped to stop the flanges 155 moving proximally.However, the slot 222 is shaped to allow the syringe sheath 120 of theinjection device 100 to move proximally relative to the body portion202. This allows the injection device 100 to move from the pre-injectionposition to the locked-out position, as described above. In thisspecific example, there is a cavity formed in the body portion 202 andthe cover 204 through which the syringe sheath is allowed to move.However, the width of this cavity is sized such that the flanges 155cannot move through the cavity, and thus the flanges 155 are retained inthe slot 222 while the cover 204 is in the closed position.

Referring back to FIG. 3, the body portion 202 and the cover 204 arecoupled together in order to form a pair of opposing sides. The rightside 212 is illustrated in FIG. 3; the opposing left side is not shownbut is a mirror image of the right side 212. The accessory 200 comprisesa pair of opposing faces. The front face 214 is illustrated in FIG. 3;the opposing back face is not shown. The opposing faces each have asimilar surface area and each have a larger surface area then eachopposing side. The cover 204 forms part of the front face 214, and thebody portion 202 forms the back face. The faces and the sides connectthe distal end 206 of the accessory 200 with the proximal end 208 of theaccessory 200.

The injection device 100 is positioned in the recess 220 by lowering theinjection device 100 into the recess 220 at an angle. The direction inwhich the injection device 100 is moved towards the accessory 200 inorder for the injection device 100 to be positioned in the recess 220has a component in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis ofthe accessory 200 and a component in a direction parallel with thelongitudinal axis of the accessory 200. This direction extends towardsthe back face of the body portion 202. Specifically, the slot 222 andthe recess 220 each have an open face that is parallel with the faces ofthe accessory 200 into which the injection device 100 is lowered. Sincethe faces of the accessory 200 have a larger surface area than thesides, this presents a wider area for a user to aim for when positioningthe injection device 100 in the accessory 200. This allows a user toposition the injection device 100 more easily, particularly for userswith dexterity issues.

Referring to FIG. 4, the slot 222 comprises a pair of distal abutmentportions 224 on each side of the body portion 202. The distal abutmentportions 224 are fixed to the body portion 202, and each one of thedistal abutment portions 224 resists a respective one of the flanges 155from moving distally. The distal abutment portions 224 are eachintegrally formed with the body portion 202 which provides a secureconnection that is simple to manufacture. However, the body portion 202may be a modular part where the distal abutment portions 224 areremovable from the body portion 202. Each distal abutment portion 224has a flat upper surface which extends into a curved lower surface. Thisreflects the shape of the outside surface of the lower part of theflange, which assists in firmly securing the injection device 100 in thebody portion 202.

The slot 222 also comprises a pair of proximal abutment portions 226.The proximal abutment portions 226 are fixed to the body portion 202,and each one of the proximal abutment portions 226 resists a respectiveone of the flanges 155 from moving proximally. The proximal abutmentportions 226 are each integrally formed with the body portion 202 whichprovides a secure connection that is simple to manufacture. However, thebody portion 202 may be a modular part where the proximal abutmentportions 226 are removable from the body portion 202. Each proximalabutment portion 226 has a flat lower surface for interacting with anupper surface of a respective one of the flanges 155. The proximalabutment portions 226 are spaced apart from one another in order to formthe cavity through which the syringe sheath 120 is allowed to travel.

Referring to FIG. 4, there is a cover slot 228 in the cover 204. Thecover slot 228 is arranged to hold the flanges 155 when the cover 204 ismoved from the open position illustrated in FIG. 4 to the closedposition illustrated in FIG. 6. The cover slot 228 is shaped in order toresist the flanges 155 from moving towards the distal end 206 of theaccessory 200 when the cover 204 is in the closed position, or in otherwords the cover slot 228 is shaped to stop the flanges 155 movingdistally. The cover slot 228 is also shaped to resist the flanges 155from moving towards the proximal end 208 of the accessory 200, or inother words the cover slot 228 is shaped to stop the flanges 155 movingproximally. However, the cover slot 228 is shaped to allow the syringesheath 120 of the injection device 100 to move proximally relative tothe body portion 202. This allows the injection device 100 to move fromthe pre-injection position to the locked-out position, as describedabove. In this specific example, the cover slot 228 co-operates with theslot 222 in the body portion 202 to form the cavity through which thesyringe sheath 120 is allowed to move. However, the width of the cavityis sized such that the flanges 155 cannot move through the cavity, andthus the flanges 155 are retained in the cover slot 228 while the cover204 is in the closed position.

The cover slot 228 also comprises a pair of distal abutment portions 230on each side of the cover 204. The distal abutment portions 230 arefixed to the cover 204, and each one of the distal abutment portions 230resists a respective one of the flanges 155 from moving distally. Thedistal abutment portions 230 are each integrally formed with the cover204 which provides a secure connection that is simple to manufacture.However, the cover 204 may be a modular part where the distal abutmentportions 230 are removable from the cover 204. As shown in the FIG. 4,each distal abutment portion 230 comprises a rib that extended along thelength of the cover 204, thus providing structural support to the cover204.

The cover slot 228 also comprises a pair of proximal abutment portions232. The proximal abutment portions 232 are fixed to the cover 204, andeach one of the proximal abutment portions 232 resists a respective oneof the flanges 155 from moving proximally. The proximal abutmentportions 232 are each integrally formed with the cover 204 whichprovides a secure connection that is simple to manufacture. However, thecover 204 may be a modular part where the proximal abutment portions 232are removable from the cover 204.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the accessory 200 comprises a cap remover234 for removing the needle cap 190 from the injection device 100. Thecap remover 234 comprises a grip which, in this example, comprises apair of moveable elements 236 each having a gripping end for interactingwith the needle cap 190. Each one the gripping ends is shaped tocorrespond with the outside surface of the needle cap 190. Each grippingend has a concave end for interfacing with the cylindrical outer shapeof the needle cap 190. In this example, the moveable elements 236 areintegrally formed with the cap remover 234. However, the moveableelement 236 may be provided as separate components that bend, or rotate,relative to the cap remover 234. For instance, each moveable element 236may be mounted on the cap remover 234 about a pivot. The needle cap 190may be a rigid needle cap or a non-rigid needle cap. The rigid needlecap may be formed of at least two components, for example it maycomprise a rigid outer shell and an inner body which surrounds theneedle 130 on the syringe 110 when in place. The inner body may be apliable, resilient or flexible inner body. This inner body may be arubber inner body. Alternatively, a non-rigid needle cap may beutilised, in which case the needle cap may be a single pliable,resilient or flexible body, for example it may be a rubberised needleboot. In the case of the non-rigid needle cap, the cap remover 234 isadapted to grip the non-rigid needle cap resiliently during cap removal,for example between the pair of moveable elements 236. Since the cap isnon rigid, it deforms within the cap remover 234, particularly withinthe grip so that the grip is snug and tight, and thus cap removal isachieved reliably.

In this example, the cap remover 234 has an expanded configuration (asillustrated in FIG. 8), and a constricted configuration (not shown). Inthe expanded configuration, the cap remover 234 does not interact withthe needle cap 190. In particular, the needle cap 190 can pass through,or by, the moveable element 236 when the cap remover 234 is in theexpanded configuration, such as when the injection device 100 isinserted into the recess 220. In the constricted configuration, the capremover 234 holds the needle cap 190 so that the cap remover 234 canremove the needle cap 190 from the injection device 100. In particular,the moveable elements 236 move towards one another in order for the capremover 234 to assume the constricted configuration to grip the needlecap 190 via the gripping ends. When the cover 204 is in the openposition, the cap remover 234 is in the expanded position. Closing thecover 204 causes the cap remover 234 to assume the constrictedconfiguration as it slides forward to remove the needle cap 190.However, when the cover 204 is fully closed (as illustrated in FIG. 6)the cap remover 234 again assumes the expanded configuration in order torelease the needle cap 190.

In this specific example, the grip has two configurations: the expandedconfiguration and the constricted configuration. However, in anotherexample the grip may assume the constricted configuration by default. Inthis case, the grip holds the needle cap 190 when the injection device100 is placed in the accessory 200 without having to be moved from theexpanded configuration to the constricted configuration. Thisalternative may be simpler to manufacture. However, the grip with theexpanded configuration allows the injection device 100 to be insertedinto the accessory 200 without resistance from the grip. In another, thegrip may comprise only one moveable element that pushes the needle captowards a non-moveable element.

The cap remover 234 comprises a pair of guides 240 each arranged to sitwithin a track in the body portion 202. The cap remover 234 is arrangedto slide within the tracks in the body portion 202.

Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, the cap remover 234 comprises a pair of capremover slots 242 each provided on one side of the cap remover 234. Thecover 204 comprises a proximal end 244 that can be moved by a user inorder to move the cover 204 from the open position to the closedposition. The cover 204 also comprises a distal end 246 that is operablycoupled to the cap remover 234 in order to move the cap remover 234 andthe grip including the moveable elements 236 distally.

In this example, there are a pair of distal ends 246 of the cover 204each comprising a cover cam 243 that sits within one of the cap removerslots 242. In this way, each distal end 246 interacts with a respectiveone of the cap remover slots 242 in order to translate the cap remover234 distally, as the cover 204 is pivoted from the open position to theclosed position. FIG. 11 illustrates the cover 204 in the closedposition where the cap remover 234 has been moved distally.

Referring to FIG. 9, the cover 204 comprises a pair of distal extensionseach extending distally away from each pivot 216. The distal end 246 andthe cover cam 243 are provided on the distal extension. There is a pairof proximal extensions each corresponding to one of the distalextensions. Each proximal extension extends proximally away from eachpivot 216, thus forming the two sides of the proximal end 244 of thecover 204.

Each proximal extension is longer than each distal extension. Thisassists in providing to mechanical advantage about the pivot 216 so thatthe cover 204 can be closed more easily. This is particularly importantas this motion also moves the cap remover 234 distally in order toremove the needle cap 190.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 14, each one of the moveable elements 236 ofthe grip is made of a flexible, resilient material. This allows the gripto move between the expanded configuration in which the needle cap 190can pass between, or past, the grip and the constricted configuration inwhich the grip holds the needle cap 190 for removing the needle cap 190from the injection device 100. There is a cap remover cam 248 on theoutside surface of each one of the moveable elements 236. Each capremover cam 248 interfaces with a cap remover cam surface 250 on thebody portion 202, when the cap remover 234 is moved distally by thecover 204. The cap remover cam surfaces 250 are illustrated in FIGS. 12and 13. The cap remover 234 also comprises a pair of receiver slots eachadapted to receive at least a portion of the cover 204 when the cover204 is in the closed position.

The cap remover cams 248 are forced into the cap remover cam surfaces250 with the cap remover 234 advancing distally. This pushes themoveable elements 236 towards one another in order to move the grip fromthe expanded configuration into the constricted configuration. Thus,when the injection device 100 is within the recess 200, the moveableelements 236 grip the needle cap 190, and at the same time the capremover 234 is moved distally, thus pulling the needle cap 190 distallyand away from the injection device 100. This removes the needle cap 190from the injection device 100.

Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, each one of the cap remover cam surfaces250 is shaped such that the grip moves from the expanded configuration,to the constricted configuration and back the expanded configuration asthe cover 204 moves from the open position to the fully closed position.In this example, each one of the cap remover cam surfaces 250 has aproximal end 252 and a distal end 254 that do not interact with arespective one of the cap remover cams 248, and an intermediate section256 that is positioned to interact with a respective one of the capremover cams 248 in order to move the moveable element 236 as the capremover 234 moves distally.

FIG. 8 illustrates the cover 204 in the fully open position in which thecam remover 234 is in the expanded configuration. FIG. 12 illustratesthe cover 204 in the fully closed position in which the cam remover hasreverted back to the expanded configuration from the constrictedconfiguration, as the cover 204 is moved from the fully open to thefully closed position.

Referring to FIG. 15, the body portion 202 comprises a pair of tracks258 for receiving a respective guide 240 of the cap remover 234. Eachtrack 258 is adapted such that when the injection device 100 is locatedin the body portion 202, the cap remover 234 is prevented from movingout of the track. This is illustrated in FIG. 10. Specifically, theinjection device 100 holds the cap remover 234 in each track 258 whenthe injection device 100 is in the recess 220.

Each track 258 is configured such that when the injection device 100 isnot located in the body portion 202, the cap remover 234 is allowed tomove in a direction having a component perpendicular to the axialdirection (i.e. the longitudinal direction that extends from theproximal end 208 to the distal end 206 of the accessory 200). However,when the injection device 100 is located in the body portion 202, thecap remover 234 is held against each track 258 by the injection device100 such that the cap remover 234 can only slide axially with respect tothe body portion 202.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, each track exposes at least a portion of thecap remover 234 so that the injection device 100 at least partiallyholds the cap remover 234 within the tracks 258 when the injectiondevice 100 is positioned in the recess 220. As illustrated in FIG. 10,the tracks 258 expose the cap remover 234 in that each track 258 doesnot comprise means adapted to contact an upper surface of the capremover 234. In other words, the body portion 202 does not have a lip orother such retention means for holding the cap remover 234 in the bodyportion 202. Instead, the injection device 100 holds the cap remover 234in the tracks 258. In particular, the cap remover 234 directly contactsthe injection device 100 when the injection device 100 is positionedwithin the recess 220. This simplifies the design of the accessory 200.

Referring to FIG. 15, each track 258 comprises a base 260 and a pair ofside walls 264, 266 adapted to guide respective side surfaces of the capremover 234. In this example, the pair of side walls 264, 266 areintegrally formed with the body portion 202. However, in another exampleone or both of side walls 264, 266 are separate components to the bodyportion 202. A first one of side walls 266 of each track 258 defines awall of a window 268 through which the injection device 100 is visiblewhen the injection device 100 is within the accessory 200. A second oneof the side walls 264 of each track 258 defines an external side wall ofthe accessory 200. The base 260 and/or the side walls 264, 266 of eachtrack 248 are integrally formed with the body portion 202.

The features of the accessory 200 described above provide an accessory200 that is inexpensive, simple and easy to use. In addition, it ispossible to operate the accessory 200 with one hand in order toadminister an injection with the injection device 100.

In use, the injection device as described above might be used to containand deliver substances such as: antibodies (such as monoclonalantibodies, ustekinumab, golimumab, infliximab, guselkumab, sirukumab,adalimumab, rituximab, tocilizumab, certolizumab, certolizumab pegol,sarilumab, secukinumab, ixekizumab or biosimilar versions thereof),etanercept, abatacept, anakinra, epoetin alfa, darbepoetin alfa, epoetinbeta-methoxy polyethylene glycol, peginesatide, hormones, antitoxins,substances for the control of pain, substances for the control ofthrombosis, substances for the control or elimination of infection,peptides, proteins, human insulin or a human insulin analogue orderivative, polysaccharide, DNA, RNA, enzymes, oligonucleotides,antiallergics, antihistamines, anti-inflammatories, corticosteroids,disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, erythropoietin, or vaccines, foruse in the treatment or prevention of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriaticarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, ulcerative colitis, hormonedeficiency, toxicity, pain, thrombosis, infection, diabetes mellitus,diabetic retinopathy, acute coronary syndrome, angina, myocardialinfarction, atherosclerosis, cancer, macular degeneration, allergy, hayfever, inflammation, anaemia, or myelodysplasia, or in the expression ofprotective immunity. In addition to these substances, any medicamentcontained within the injection device may also include other substances,such as inactive ingredients, as a skilled person would appreciate. Itwill of course be understood by the person skilled in the art thatparticular substances are efficacious for use in the treatment orprevention of particular conditions, as is well known in the art. Forinstance, it is known that antiallergics are efficacious for use in thetreatment or prevention of allergies; antihistamines are efficacious foruse in the treatment or prevention of hay fever; anti-inflammatories areefficacious for use in the treatment or prevention of inflammation; andso on. Accordingly, any selection of one or more substances listedherein or in the claims for use in the treatment or prevention of one ormore conditions for which those substance(s) are known to be efficaciousis envisaged. In a particular example, however, golimumab is known to beefficacious for use in the treatment or prevention of one or more ofrheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis orulcerative colitis, or any combination of rheumatoid arthritis,psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and ulcerative colitis, orall of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitisand ulcerative colitis.

Golimumab may optionally be used in combination with one or moreinactive ingredients such as any or all of L-histidine, L-histidinemonohydrochloride monohydrate, sorbitol, polysorbate 80, and water.Golimumab may be present in a composition in which golimumab is the onlyactive ingredient. For example, golimumab may be administered asSIMPONI®.

The term “comprising” encompasses “including” as well as “consisting”e.g. a composition “comprising” X may consist exclusively of X or mayinclude something additional e.g. X+Y. Unless otherwise indicated eachembodiment as described herein may be combined with another embodimentas described herein. In the specific examples described to above, pairsof certain components are provided in order to achieve certainfunctions. However, it is possible to achieve these functions using atleast one of these components.

It will be understood that the benefits and advantages described abovemay relate to one embodiment or may relate to several embodiments. Theembodiments are not limited to those that solve any or all of the statedproblems or those that have any or all of the stated benefits andadvantages. Any reference to ‘an’ item refers to one or more of thoseitems.

It will be understood that the above description of a preferredembodiment is given by way of example only and that variousmodifications may be made by those skilled in the art. Although variousembodiments have been described above with a certain degree ofparticularity, or with reference to one or more individual embodiments,those skilled in the art could make numerous alterations to thedisclosed embodiments without departing from the scope of thisinvention.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An accessory for an injection device havinga needle cap, the accessory comprising: a body portion comprising arecess adapted to receive the injection device; a cover coupled to thebody portion, the cover pivotally moveable between an open position inwhich the recess is exposed to receive the injection device, and aclosed position in which the cover at least partially closes the recessto hold the injection device in the body portion; and a cap removercomprising a grip, the cap remover having an expanded configuration inwhich the needle cap can pass between the grip, and a constrictedconfiguration in which the grip holds the needle cap to at leastpartially remove the needle cap from the injection device; wherein thecover and the cap remover are operably coupled to one another wherebywhen the cover is moved from the open position towards the closedposition the cap remover moves from the expanded configuration to theconstricted configuration, and wherein the grip comprises at least onemoveable element configured to hold the needle cap when the cap removeris in the constricted configuration and being offset from the needle capwhen the cap remover is in the expanded configuration, the at least onemoveable element being formed from a flexible, resilient material thatallows the at least one moveable element to move between the constrictedconfiguration in which the grip holds the needle cap and the expandedconfiguration in which the needle cap can pass between the grip.
 2. Theaccessory of claim 1, wherein the cap remover is arranged to revert backto the expanded configuration when the cover reaches the closed positionto release the needle cap.
 3. The accessory of claim 1, furthercomprising at least one cap remover cam arranged to interact with atleast one cap remover cam surface so as to move the cap remover from theexpanded configuration to the constricted configuration.
 4. Theaccessory of claim 3, wherein the at least one cap remover cam iscoupled to, or provided on, the at least one moveable element.
 5. Theaccessory of claim 3, wherein the cap remover cam surface is coupled to,or provided on, the body portion.
 6. The accessory of claim 3, whereinthe at least one cap remover cam surface is arranged to interact withthe cap remover cam in order to move the cap remover from the expandedconfiguration, to the constricted configuration and back to the expandedconfiguration as the cap remover cam moves over and past the cap removercam surface.
 7. The accessory of claim 3, wherein the at least one capremover cam and the at least one cap remover cam surface are offset fromone another when the cover is in the open position.
 8. The accessory ofclaim 3, wherein movement of the cover from the open position to theclosed position causes the cap remover cam to move into engagement withthe cap remover cam surface, so that the cap remover moves from theexpanded configuration to the constricted configuration.
 9. Theaccessory of claim 1, wherein the grip comprises at least one grippingend that is shaped to correspond with an outside surface of the needlecap.
 10. The accessory of claim 1, wherein the at least one moveableelement comprises a pair of moveable elements configured to hold theneedle cap when the cap remover is in the constricted configuration andbeing offset from the needle cap when the cap remover is in the expandedconfiguration.
 11. The accessory of claim 10, wherein each one of thepair of moveable elements is formed from a flexible, resilient materialthat allows each moveable element to move between the constrictedconfiguration in which the grip holds the needle cap and the expandedconfiguration in which the needle cap can pass between the grip.
 12. Theaccessory of claim 10, further comprising a pair of cap remover camseach arranged to interact with one of a pair of respective cap removercam surfaces so as to move the cap remover from the expandedconfiguration to the constricted configuration.
 13. The accessory ofclaim 12, wherein each cap remover cam is coupled to, or provided on, arespective one of the moveable elements.
 14. The accessory of claim 12,wherein each cap remover cam surface is coupled to, or provided on, thebody portion.
 15. The accessory of claim 12, wherein the cap remover camsurfaces are arranged to move the cap remover from the expandedconfiguration, to the constricted configuration and back to the expandedconfiguration as the cap remover cams move over and past each respectivecap remover cam surface.
 16. The accessory of claim 12, wherein each capremover cam and the corresponding cap remover cam surface are offsetfrom one another when the cover is in the open position, so that the capremover cam and the cap remover do not interface with one another. 17.The accessory of claim 12, wherein movement of the cover from the openposition to the closed position causes each respective cap remover camto move into engagement with the corresponding cap remover cam surface,so that the cap remover moves from the expanded configuration to theconstricted configuration.
 18. The accessory of claim 1, wherein thegrip comprises a pair of gripping ends each shaped to correspond with anoutside surface of the needle cap.
 19. An accessory for an injectiondevice having a needle cap, the accessory comprising: a body portioncomprising a recess adapted to receive the injection device; a covercoupled to the body portion, the cover pivotally moveable between anopen position in which the recess is exposed to receive the injectiondevice, and a closed position in which the cover at least partiallycloses the recess to hold the injection device in the body portion; anda cap remover comprising a grip, the cap remover having an expandedconfiguration in which the needle cap can pass between the grip, and aconstricted configuration in which the grip holds the needle cap to atleast partially remove the needle cap from the injection device, whereinthe cover and the cap remover are operably coupled to one anotherwhereby when the cover is moved from the open position towards theclosed position the cap remover moves from the expanded configuration tothe constricted configuration, and wherein the grip comprises at leastone moveable element configured to hold the needle cap when the capremover is in the constricted configuration and being offset from theneedle cap when the cap remover is in the expanded configuration, the atleast one moveable element being configured to bend between theconstricted configuration in which the grip holds the needle cap and theexpanded configuration in which the needle cap can pass between thegrip.
 20. The accessory of claim 19, wherein the at least one moveableelement comprises a pair of moveable elements configured to hold theneedle cap when the cap remover is in the constricted configuration andbeing offset from the needle cap when the cap remover is in the expandedconfiguration, each one of the pair of moveable elements beingconfigured to bend between the constricted configuration in which thegrip holds the needle cap and the expanded configuration in which theneedle cap can pass between the grip.
 21. A system for administering aninjection, the system comprising: the injection device having the needlecap; and the accessory of claim
 1. 22. The system of claim 21, whereinthe injection device contains a substance selected from the groupconsisting of: antibodies (such as monoclonal antibodies, ustekinumab,golimumab, infliximab, guselkumab, sirukumab, adalimumab, rituximab,tocilizumab, certolizumab, certolizumab pegol, sarilumab, secukinumab,ixekizumab or biosimilar versions thereof), etanercept, abatacept,anakinra, epoetin alfa, darbepoetin alfa, epoetin beta-methoxypolyethylene glycol, peginesatide, hormones, antitoxins, substances forthe control of pain, substances for the control of thrombosis,substances for the control or elimination of infection, peptides,proteins, human insulin or a human insulin analogue or derivative,polysaccharide, DNA, RNA, enzymes, oligonucleotides, antiallergics,antihistamines, anti-inflammatories, corticosteroids, disease modifyinganti-rheumatic drugs, erythropoietin, or vaccines, for use in thetreatment or prevention of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis,ankylosing spondylitis, ulcerative colitis, hormone deficiencytoxicity,pain, thrombosis, infection, diabetes mellitus, diabetic retinopathy,acute coronary syndrome, angina, myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis,cancer, macular degeneration, allergy, hay fever, inflammation, anaemia,or myelodysplasia, or in the expression of protective immunity.
 23. Anaccessory for an injection device having a needle cap, the accessorycomprising: a body portion comprising a recess configured to receive theinjection device; a cover coupled to the body portion, the coverpivotally moveable between an open position in which the recess isexposed to receive the injection device, and a closed position in whichthe cover at least partially closes the recess to hold the injectiondevice in the body portion; and a cap remover comprising a grip, the capremover having an expanded configuration in which the needle cap canpass between the grip, and a constricted configuration in which the gripholds the needle cap to at least partially remove the needle cap fromthe injection device; wherein the cover and the cap remover are operablycoupled to one another whereby, when the cover is moved from the openposition towards the closed position, the cap remover moves from theexpanded configuration to the constricted configuration and from theconstricted configuration to the expanded configuration, wherein thegrip comprises at least one moveable element configured to i) movetowards the needle cap along an inward direction along a line oftrajectory to the constricted configuration to hold the needle cap, andii) reverse direction to move from the constricted configuration awayfrom the needle cap back along the line of trajectory along an outwarddirection, opposite the inward direction, to the expanded configurationto release the needle cap.
 24. The accessory of claim 23, wherein the atleast one moveable element comprises a pair of movable elements, each ofthe movable elements configured to move i) towards the other movableelement along an inward direction to the constricted configuration tohold the needle cap, and ii) away from the other movable element alongan outward direction, opposite the inward direction, to the expandedconfiguration to release the needle cap.
 25. The accessory of claim 23,wherein the inward and outward directions are perpendicular to alongitudinal axis of the accessory.
 26. The accessory of claim 23,wherein the cover and the cap remover are operably coupled to oneanother such that, when the cover is moved from the open positiontowards the closed position the cap remover moves from the expandedconfiguration to the constricted configuration, and when the cover isfurther moved towards the closed position, the cap remover moves fromthe constricted configuration to the expanded configuration.